Manchester United should make a late swoop for Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans amid the uncertainty surrounding Christian Eriksen’s fitness.
Eriksen suffered an ankle injury during the 3-1 win over Reading in the FA Cup fourth round. He was on the wrong end of a reckless tackle from Andy Carroll and was spotted leaving Old Trafford on ‘crutches‘.
Hence, there is a genuine concern over him at the moment and United should provide a clear update on his injury situation following a medical assessment.
While that happens, the club should look into a quality replacement for the worst case scenario. In our view, Tielemans would be a fantastic late acquisition.
The Belgian has just over five months remaining on his Foxes contract and could be prised away before the deadline if there is a lucrative offer on the table.
He is currently valued at £35 million by Transfermarkt and in our opinion, United could seriously test the Foxes’ resolve by paying a fee in the region of £20m.
With funds said to be limited at the moment, the club could also negotiate a loan deal for the 25-year-old with an obligation to buy at the end of the campaign.
The Foxes are unlikely to accept a straight loan proposal for the experienced star.
Much has been said about Tielemans’ limited mobility and top speed, but the Belgian is a proven Premier League star, who can play in multiple midfield roles.
He can be a like-for-like replacement for Eriksen. The midfielder has five goal involvements for the Foxes this term but has also been impressive defensive wise.
The 25-year-old has won 2.2 tackles and nearly one interception per game. Meanwhile, he averages 46 accurate passes and has the knack of creating chances.
With a world-class defensive midfielder in Casemiro alongside him, Tielemans would have the freedom to express himself which has not been the case at Leicester.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com and WhoScored.com
